Afternoon Breakouts

Afternoon Breakouts

After the end of many longstanding, left-leaning governments and the advent of incisive and widespread anti-corruption investigations, the practical aspects of dealing with political, corruption, and operational risks in Latin America have generated particular interest among investors. In particular, investors have closely scrutinized local partners and a range of pre- and post-investment risks. This session will seek to discuss different approaches to analyzing these risks in the context of increasing transparency and accountability in certain countries in the region, while bearing in mind that previous parameters of "business as usual" are still at play.

William Glass, Applied Intelligence Analyst, FireEye; Power, Politics, and Populism in an Age of Ubiquitous Networks

This session will explore the origins of the tension between government control and popular demands in cyberspace, and how each side currently works to defend its relative power position. New concentrations of power and reduced faith in traditional institutions have driven governments to arrest their perceived loss of control with a series of power grabs in cyberspace grounded in a nationalist perspective of the globe that directly abrades against the free-flow nature of the Internet. The direction and vigor of this struggle will have profound implications for businesses, citizens, and governments alike. Participants will learn about and discuss the ongoing challenges we face in reconciling our dependence on the Internet with humanity’s nationalist tendencies.

Yue Ma, Vice President, Regional Risk Manager, XL Catlin; How Populism is Reshaping Globalization and the Post-WWII International Order – Risks and Opportunities

The surge of populism has resulted in an overwhelming anti-globalization trend in many western countries. The same countries that for the past few decades had led the establishment and enforcement of the post-war world order are now turning against it. Trade protectionism, xenophobic sentiments, and general skepticism towards economic integration and multilateral institutions have prevailed in the politics of many nations and present serious challenge to globalization. In the meantime, newly emerged players that rely heavily on free trade and free flow of investments are being forced to take a leading role in ensuring an open and orderly international environment.

This breakout session will cover the key changes the world is experiencing as result of the surge of populism and the anti-globalization trend it led to, as well as risks and opportunities these changes present to countries and businesses. The presenter will also give the audience a brief overview about the political risk insurance product that play an increasingly important role in supporting businesses in capturing opportunities and mitigating risks in the international market.

Corporate executives and directors uniformly report that their primary concerns when making a foreign investment is political, legal and regulatory risks. So why then do only a small fraction of these decision-makers believe that their companies take the necessary steps to adequately address these risks? One reason is that most experts who manage these risks know only a part of the whole picture. Robert Ginsburg will identify the spaces between recognition and action and discuss his unique methodology for bridging the gap.